Connect ChatGPT to a sandbox

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Connect the ChatGPT desktop app to a sandbox over SSH so Codex works inside the isolated environment instead of on your host.

[!NOTE] This page covers running Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app connected to a sandbox over SSH. To run the Codex CLI inside a sandbox directly, see Codex.

Prerequisites#

• SSH access set up. See Editor and app integrations.
• The ChatGPT desktop app installed.

ChatGPT's remote server requires the codex command in the sandbox. The Codex sandbox template used in the following section includes this command.

Connect#

Create a named Codex sandbox for the current directory if you don't already have one:

$ sbx create --name demo codex .

Confirm that you can connect to the sandbox from a terminal:

$ ssh demo.sbx

In the ChatGPT desktop app, open Settings > Connections and add an SSH connection manually. Enter the sandbox hostname, such as demo.sbx, as the host, then use the remote folder picker to select the mounted workspace as the remote project.

For more connection options, see the OpenAI instructions to connect to an SSH host.

Full access still prompts for approval#

ChatGPT controls Codex permissions separately from the Docker Sandbox. To run commands without Codex approval prompts, select Full access from the permissions menu for the remote chat. Enabling Full access under Settings > General only adds the mode to the permissions menu. It doesn't change an existing chat.

If the chat continues to request approval while showing Full access, update the ChatGPT desktop app, then stop and restart the active task. Approval prompts that return after reconnecting can indicate a Codex remote-permission synchronization issue.

Related#

• Editor and app integrations — how SSH access works and how to set it up
• Codex — run the Codex CLI inside a sandbox